Wireless headphones or speakers that receive musical signals transmitted directly from home stereo systems or portable music players are known. These known headphones or speakers receive signals over prescribed electromagnetic bands, specifically in the 900 MHz range. Currently, such signals are limited in range by regulation, having a maximum range of 150 feet. Even without regulation, technological factors (for example signal strength) severely limit the range of known wireless headphone and speaker systems, making long-distance use impossible.
Typically, known wireless headphones are used around the home and allow the listener to move from room to room without the distraction or nuisance of a cord. The listener has full use of all stereo systems, such as radio, cassette, and compact disc player, but cannot move far from the audio source. Wireless headphone units may also transmit some functional instructions to the stereo system. Such a device is disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,845,751 to Schwab.
In addition, known wireless headphones may be used outside the home in conjunction with portable music players, for example while jogging. In this case, the listener can move freely without the risk of getting tangled in a headphone cord. However, the listener has access only to the music system available on the portable music player, usually a cassette player or a compact disc player, and can only choose among those cassette tapes or compact discs the listener carries. Also, the listener must transport the portable music player. Carrying the portable music player can be cumbersome, and movement often causes a portable player, especially one that plays compact discs, to skip.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,055 to Schwab to provide a modular telecommunications device for an electronic unit such as a laptop computer. The disclosed arrangement allows access to network, internet, and other computerized services via a wireless (e.g. cellular) network.
It is also known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,401 to Thompson to provide a hand held communication unit including a modem, wireless communication, a touchpad, and a display that also allows voice communication. The unit performs services such as voice-mail and voice communications, information retrieval, and on-line data base services.
It is desirable to provide a system by which a listener can access his or her home audio system from long distances and without the troublesome inconvenience of carrying a portable electronic device.